A Game Called Revenge - Portal 2 Fanfiction
by Rubyghast
Summary: These are the last recorded stories of the staff of Aperture Laboratories before it collapsed. The staff were said to have gone insane... (Call this the Revenge AU)
1. Wheatley's Story

A Game Called 'Revenge'

Wheatley's Story: These Blue Eyes of Deception

Prologue/Ch.1: The Befallen Insanity

It had been years since the personality core, Wheatley, had been on solid ground, or rather panels. He was back to the sterile chambers of Aperture Laboratories after countless days. However, he still had a grudge against the 'monsters' that exiled him to his dark black prison.

* * *

He had become insane from isolation and paranoia. His hands, worn away to sharp metallic claws, were drenched in blood. He dragged them along the chamber walls, which made a painful, metallic screeching. He was repeatedly calling out, in a psychopathic tone.

Suddenly, he heard the robotic, monochrome voice he lovingly hated: "Who are you and what are you doing here", it said, confused and angered.

He turned to the camera and maniacally smiled, his mouth bloodstained, and still dripping with the very same. "Oh, hello. Do you remember me? Because I remember you so very well."

The voice interrupted him, "What? How should I- No. No-no-no! You're still-" the voice gulped "You're still alive, after how long? Look, I-" He continued talking "I remember how you tried to kill me, exiled me to space and left me to die."

He then burst out in a fit of maniacal laughter, the blood dripping off of his chin. Realising this, he wiped it off. Then, he proceeded to claw at the walls.

"One question though," he asked, crouching on the floor, pretending to draw meaningless shapes. "Do you still keep in contact with that old friend of mine? I bet she'll be so... _ecstatic_ to see me. I wonder if..." He trailed on talking to himself.

"If you're talking about me, then I'm not glad to see you at all."

Wheatley quickly looked up from the floor, "You!?" He laughed under his breath, "Why on _earth_ would I be talking about **you**!?"

The voice, shocked, replied: "Because you're here. And not trying to find your friend. Also, you look great by the way... Very... great..."

Wheatley got up and walked closer to the camera. "Stop being sarcastic." He said, jokingly. "You missed me? Didn't you?" He shouted.

The voice whispered to herself "He's insane, he's insane, he's insane..."

"Are you talking about me?" He asked. He was turning more insane, by each second that went by.

The panels of the wall opened. "Well, looks like I have to go. I bid you adieu."

Ch.2: The Dark Secrets

Wheatley, after being closed in the room, was now free to walk along the catwalks.

He went into an already unlocked room that was prepared for his arrival. He sat down at a monitor, musing over who was going to 'fill' the void in his life.

However, he soon snapped out of it and looked at the list presently on the screen.

"So... I need a new list, because _apparently_ , everyone in this place is dead."

He said to himself " _Why are all of the test subjects_ _dead_?!" He shouted.

Suddenly, a name caught his attention, "Wait. He, She... They aren't dead... Yet..." He said the word 'yet' in an antagonistic manner, and smiled eerily, his face was mirrored on the monitor screen.

In the corner of the room stood a blunt square of metal. His eyes lit up, and he picked it up and started carving it into a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, the voice of the camera, Caroline was looking over each and every camera's footage, and saw things that she never knew existed.

One of the cameras looked directly into Wheatley's 'office'. He, however, noticed the movement and attempted to pull the camera from its socket, cutting his wrist on the sharp, loose wires hanging from it.

The camera lens shattered in a cascade of tiny glass shards. He laughed and said "Even though you can see me, I'm still here. Why not get rid of me now?"

Then, he turned around to face the room his office was looking over.

"Those poor, poor souls."

"Or rather, they will be."

With his reflection smirking. The camera, broken, only recorded his voice...

Ch.3: The Taste of Blood

It was several days later and, after being left in his office; Wheatley was suffering from hunger spikes, not used to his new way of living. He was sprawled out on the floor, messing with the broken camera.

Then, he heard footsteps outside his door. Slowly, he stepped towards the door, not making a sound. It opened, and he was staring at the person, who was the person on the top of his list.

Instinctively, he lashed out and deeply cut their throat. He dragged their body out of view of the active cameras.

Moments later, he was eating something flesh-like, his outfit was dotted with blood stains and his hands had a small cut on them. Behind him were a bloodied metal spike and the bare remnants of a human skeleton.

He heard a voice from the broken camera. The camera still had its microphone and speaker intact. He spoke to Caroline.

"Caroline?"

"What?"

"Did you really miss me?"

"No. And I never will."

"Oh, really? Because the video footage says otherwise."

"What? How can you access tha-"

He laughed and cut the conversation off; throwing the camera to the side. Next to him was a blood-covered glass cup, full of a similar, scarlet coloured liquid. Casually, he drank from it, staining his mouth in the process.

He decided to look out of his office window again. Fortunately for him, it looked out onto one of the mainly used chambers. Where he saw someone he remembered.

Ch.4: The Return of an Old Friend

The familiar face, after so many years, she had returned. Years after _his_ past demise. He attempted to put on a sane face. But ended up laughing at himself, after seeing his reflection.

Wheatley went down to the chamber, ecstatic at her return. But _she_ was curious as to why he was so happy about it. Eerily happy.

 _She_ decided to keep this thought to herself, trying to ignore his presence. After a while, she realised that they weren't being watched. By anyone. Wheatley, who's excited act was starting to slip, had convinced _her_ to follow him to his room.

When they entered, _she_ saw something from the corner of her eye... Something red and squishy. _She_ attempted to point this out to Wheatley, but he wasn't listening. _She_ went to look at it, but he stopped her.

It had been a while since they had seen each other. So, they decided to tell each other about their lives so far. Since she wasn't talkative, he read her facial expressions.

"You got called back here? Strange, I thought you'd be the last person she'd want to see..."

He realised that what he was saying was annoying her "...Uh, no offense, I mean; I missed you, a-and I..."

She looked over at the' red, squishy thing',

"Uh... what are you looking at?"

 _She_ rolled her eyes and pointed at it "Oh that. It's- It's nothing. Trust me." He said sheepishly.

He looked over his shoulder and saw the metal blade.

Ch.5: Warm Blood and Icy Tears

 _She_ went to look at it; he wasn't stopping her, like before. When _she_ saw 'it' she stood, shocked.

Wheatley walked slowly up to her, while her back was turned.

"Surprise… _Sweetheart_ "

Her smile then turned to fear. "Don't worry. It won't hurt. My dear, dear **Chell**..." He whispered softly.

Before Wheatley could stab the blade into her back, She fled outside, and onto the catwalks.

"Of course, it couldn't end this way…" Wheatley said, as he threw the metal aside.

There was a crashing of metal as Chell tripped over an upturned panel.

"There-"

Chell's heart pounded

"-You-"

She ran. She ran for as long as her stamina could hold her

"- **Are** -"

Chell halted. And looked behind her.

Wheatley was walking towards her, his face in the same smiling expression.

He made an animalistic roaring as he jumped at her.

Chell attempted to move out of his way, but was caught by Wheatley's claws

She fell, silently. "Ha... Now, you'll never have to miss me." His hands, covered with _her_ blood. She was dead.

Wheatley twitched, and his glassy, light-filled eyes sparked.

As he was pulling out his claws from her back, he paused to look at his reflection, the reflection in her glazed eyes. He stared at her body, lying there. On the bloodstained chrome.

He started to smile. Wheatley felt, for once in his life...

He was…

Alive.


	2. Rick's Story

Adventure's Story: The Curse of Love

Prologue/Ch.1: Toxic Attraction

It was the evening, and the entire facility was silent. Everyone was in their individual rooms, except for one young woman, who had said to have gotten herself 'lost'.

The woman walked into the man in front of her, as she had been looking for any indication of where she was. The man was carrying a leather backpack, and detailed climbing equipment. The small name tag that had been sewn onto the bag read the name 'Richard Calilé.

"Sorry sweetheart. 'wasn't looking where I was going. Are 'ya okay?"

The woman was silent, looking up at Richard's face. His face was covered in rock dust, and was red. He seemed out of breath. His hair was a deep red colour, and tied up in a scraggy ponytail.

"I – I'm fine..." She said, swooning over the man she had just met.

"You look... lost. Want to come with me? I'm _sure_ that we can find somewhere for... you." Richard said, trying to avoid speaking in his natural accent to the woman he was _sure_ was beginning to love him.

"Yes." The woman said, still infatuated.

* * *

Richard and the woman, whom he learned was called 'Megan', had walked all the way to his room.

"So, what does someone as handsome as yourself do as a job?" Megan asked Richard, trying to make conversation.

"I do field work." Richard answered, dryly.

Megan shifted slightly, unnerved by his change of tone.

Richard turned around, facing Megan, after washing the dust from his face.

"You, uh, are you okay?" Megan asked, after seeing that under the dust were splashes of blood.

"I'm fine." Richard breathed heavily. His breath visible as apparent green fumes.

Megan was tempted to leave, but her one-sided love kept her in Richards room for a while longer.

It reached midnight.

"Shouldn't you be getting back?" Richard said, in the same dry tone.

Alice didn't respond, but stood, making eye contact with him.

Richard took the opportunity he was given, and leaned in to kiss her, the poison in his breath took a hold of her.

As Megan fainted, he laid her onto his bed, being careful not to hurt her. She _was_ fragile, after all.

"Goodnight darling." Richard said, in a false, sweet tone.

Ch.2: Fatal Romance

When Megan awoke, she was laid on her back, looking up at the celling.

"What did you do-"

She paused when she saw three marks cut onto her arm.

"What is this?" Megan whispered to herself

"You were, well, a light sleeper. I had to give you more poison. So, those marks are how many times it happened. I hope you're okay with that." Richard said, nonchalantly.

As it appeared, Richard had taken a shower not that earlier from Megan waking up. He was currently top-naked, and drying his hair with an unusually soft looking towel.

Megan looked at his back as he walked past her. It had six metal rimmed holes, evenly spaced, parallel to his spine on either side. She was both curious and impressed that he could live with six, she supposed, wire ports.

She rubbed her own back. There was one, smaller hole. It was just big enough to fit a rolled-up centimetre square of paper inside.

"Don't look so impressed. The boss had to have twelve of these things put into her back." Richard snarled at her reaction.

Megan was now sat crossed legged on the bedsheets. She was shaking, and felt unnaturally cold.

Her back jolted with pain.

A wire had been plugged into the hole in her back, and it was causing her to curl up in even more pain than before.

"Looks like you found _that_ button. Have fun being electrocuted."

Megan, in disbelief, let out a flat "What?" before dozens of electrical impulses were sent through her body. She was screaming at this point.

Richard was silently laughing to himself, Megan was unable to see this, her eyes tearing up.

"Please..."

Richard sighed, snapping his fingers, which released the wire from Megan's back.

"You're lucky I was still here." He said, smiling insincerely at her.

Megan didn't feel any more reassured. But the lack of romance between the two of them confirmed that Megan kept herself here for another reason.

"Why-" Megan began, still in pain, "Why do you **want** to be electrocuted every time you wake up?"

"You don't need to know." Richard replied, his voice slightly deeper than before, clearly annoyed by Megan's pure stubbornness and resilience, making him more volatile each second.

Not only that, but his eyes were changing colour to a darker green, and the tiny pixels that made up this eye colour shifted into multiple patterns before deciding on the eyes of a caiman.

Richard had decided that Megan was getting too close to him. Too close for him to put up with.

Ch.3: Stolen Life

Richard, who had moved from being fine with the presence of Megan to hating how she _just won't_ _ **leave**_.

"Okay, playtime's over. Get the **hell** out of my room." Richard said, almost shouting.

Megan was, at this point, sat up on Richard's bed, rubbing her back.

"N- No. I won't leave until I get an answer."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

Richard turned around, clenching his hands tightly into fists, Clearly near the point of insanity, if he wasn't already unhinged enough, but then decided on a different approach to end his 'torture' and drew a shining, leather handled machete from his boot.

"Megan, do you know what this is? Richard asked her, unsettlingly smiling.

"No... I don't think so."

"This. This is what I call... "

He moved the sharpened blade closer to Megan's neck.

"...This is what I call a 'last resort'. It has such a pleasant name that it almost makes you forget how deadly it can be."

Richard paused

"Or, I could poison you until you die. Your choice."

Megan was at a loss for what to say. Richard and herself were almost eye to eye.

"Nothing. Okay then..." Richard said, slightly disappointed. Megan could taste the poison carried by his breath.

Richard paused again, moving around to the side of her. She closed her eyes and hoped that he was just messing with her, and he would just hug her and tell her everything was okay.

He didn't.

Suddenly, before Megan could even register what was happening, the blade of the machete was slashed across her neck. She was bleeding heavily and would soon die. But right now, she was laid on the bed, eyes still closed.

"You should have left when I gave you the chance. Oh, and... You should have known who I am before you were lead here, by me. Most people call me 'The Love killer of Aperture'. Others call me Rick."

Megan made a choked gasping noise with the little strength she had left.

"But you can call me your executioner."

Megan was near unconscious from blood loss.

"Sweet dreams dear." Rick said, before letting himself sadistically laugh at Megan's pain.

Ch.4: The Aftermath

Rick, after watching Megan drift into unconsciousness and, later, into death, moved her body behind room panels which he had called out of their normal position to bring a connection from the incinerator room.

He placed Megan's body into the incinerator, showing that he had at least the concept of respect by not throwing it in like anyone else would.

Moments later, his current boss, GlaDOS, stood in the doorway to his room. She wasn't impressed by his actions. But said nothing about it. Leaving without a word, the only sign she was there was a single piece of golden paper left at the doorway.

Printed onto the paper was the message: 'Try not to murder everyone. We still have to run the facility.'

Rick smiled to himself as he read it.

"Run the facility. Hah. The facility looks after itself. The others could do with looking at this though."

With that, Rick left his room. No one asked about Megan's disapperance, or enquired why his clothes were bloody.

No one spoke to him. Just watched as he walked silently past them. Smiling like he always did as he entered the staff room that was off-limits to everyone else. The room that had a door with blood splattered all over it.


	3. Fact's Story

Fact's Story: Shattered Attachment

Prologue/Ch.1: Loving and Hating

It was just after midday, 12:31 exactly.

Rick was walking through the staff room door, his bloodied clothing a symbol of his 'achievement' earlier. He wasn't talking to anyone, but sat down on a large, out of place, pink, silky cushion on the floor.

Rick then looked up to see Craig, spitefully named 'Fact' by Rick himself, staring down at him from the ceiling from eight metallic arachnid legs that appeared to be fused to his back.. Craig's fairly long hair was draped over his face.

"Hello. Rick." Craig said, in a childlike and partially slurred manner, staring him out.

"Hey there..." Rick said, cautiously. "You freak of nature" He added quietly under his breath.

Craig was hanging over Rick, smiling with droplets of unnatural poisonous saliva hanging from the inside of his mouth.

"Did she give you her note?" He said, again in the same slurred, childish manner. "Well, did she?"

"Yes, she did. But -"

Craig laughed slightly, interrupting Rick. His laughter was at a higher pitch than anyone else's

"Oh, you're in trouble with her now. _She_ 's out for blood." He said, pushing himself down from the ceiling; Landing perfectly on two feet, the mechanical legs retracting into his back.

"Your blood." Craig laughed again, clearly enjoying the way he made Rick writhe in slight fear.

 _She_ was the only person that Rick was afraid of.

Craig, out of twisted disdain, stood behind Rick and rested his arms onto Rick's shoulders and whispered from his sharp tongued mouth:

"Well, _she_ 's here now. Good luck."

Before the door violently slammed open.

* * *

Craig sided over towards the visibly annoyed woman who was glaring straight at Rick

" **You.** " The woman said, pointing at Rick accusingly. Rick looked at her in both shock and slight guilt.

Craig was still smiling, and made a high-pitched giggling before he left.

Craig closed the door behind him, sighing as it clicked shut. He stood leaning on the wall next to it, listening to what was happening.

"How _dare you_ go behind my back and disobey my strict orders to you." Craig heard the woman shout, still annoyed. Whist Rick was contrastingly silent.

Craig thought to himself that, this - this was strange, because he would have usually begun to lash out by now. That or he's just too scared to talk.

He viciously hit the wall panel behind him with his spiked boots, the panels instantly opened, as if they were recoiling from the impact.

"I have work to do, I can't stay here for too long..." Craig said to himself, before withdrawing into the passage he made.

Ch.2:Darkened Hallways

Slowly, the panels further down in the passageway opened up, showing a seemingly endless, shadowy path, from which, a single room was accessible.

Craig's footsteps echoed, the stabbing motions of his footsteps vibrated on the metal floor. Violently. He had found something to think about that had made him annoyed, for a while.

At the end of the corridor, the final panels opened into the room. Craig slid himself from the panels onto the floor, albeit gracefully, as they closed behind him.

"How long did it take you to find the girl?" He asked, without looking, to a figure sat, at a laboratory table along the side of the room.

"She was almost killed by your **friend** and you don't seem to care." The figure spoke, another female voice.

"That _brute_ is nothing but someone I work with." Craig returned, through gritted teeth, before climbing up thick wires that connected to the ceiling, and burying himself in the mass of smaller cables that hung down.

"And I intend to keep it that way." Craig added, before he was seemingly engulfed by the inky wires.

Inside the ceiling of the room, was a connection to the main ventilation system, including the Neurotoxin Generator, which had been out of commission for several years. Craig was seemingly unaffected by it, and so, he was ordered to fix and reconnect all of the machine. The Neurotoxin Generator, which was personally beloved to him, was one of the greater projects that he had been enlisted to complete, alongside something that ran deep into the heart of the facility. Something that he kept separate from his usual schedule.

For today, he decided that he would attempt to drag the ambiguously dead body of Chell back to his room.. Reaching Chell would involve travelling down near to the heart of the facility. His assistant was the only other person allowed down with him.

"Caitlyn." Craig said, moving his body so he could look outside the wires, in an eerie, lilting voice to his female assistant, who had been pacing around the room

"Yes?" She replied, in the same tone of voice, though full of heartfelt sarcasm.

"The door should be open now." Craig shouted down to Caitlyn, in a surprisingly airily way, "Although, you're probably not in the best state to travel through over three miles of metal vents."

"Walking over three miles of nothing but metal... is better than being stuck in this room." Caitlyn replied, whilst walking into the makeshift entrance to the vent system.

When she managed to meet up with Craig inside the maze of ventilation shafts, they made their way to the Neurotoxin Generator, somewhat silently.

The vent split up into two separate paths, one leading to the Generator, the other to a catwalk, near the place where Wheatley 'met up' with Chell a while ago.

"If you're planning to get the nearly dead test subject back through the vents, you'll need all the luck you can get." Craig's assistant said to him, before they split paths.

Ch.3: The Regroup

Craig moved through miles of vents and behind many walls before finding the single, darkened catwalk, on which Chell, bleeding and somehow alive, was sat upright on the catwalk.

"Hello there. You must be the dead test subject." Craig said to her, brushing his fringe from his face.

Chell smiled back. Happy that someone was assuring her that she was not, in fact, dead.

"You might need this. No, I'm not making you go through a labyrinth of puzzles - It's to defend yourself with. Trust me, you'll need it." Craig said to her, presenting a black variation of her older Portal Gun. It had a dark orange stripe along the top.

Chell took it from his hands hesitantly, looking confused. Her clothes were visibly bloody, she was ghostly pale and looked starved, but was breathing and moving normally. She would have preferred something more than a Portal Gun to help her survive. But, she didn't attempt to complain.

"Look, I'm not here to help you. But your friend might be wondering how you are. He _did_ leave you to die after all." Craig continued, Chell's eyes looked both teary and yet full of anger.

Her grip on the Portal Gun became tighter, and she held it as if it was a weapon, and not a scientific tool.

"Be more careful next time, kid." Craig said, in a condescending manner.

He then turned around, and began to walk off, saying nothing else to Chell, as she glared down through the gaps in the catwalk.

Chell turned back up to look at him, and she swore she could see metal spider legs come out of his back, before she lost sight of him.

Craig made his way to the Neurotoxin Generator, tying his hair back with a piece of thick string. He was smirking to himself, in an unnerving way which would make anyone suspicious.

"Caitlyn, I'm back. Did you make any progress on... anything?" He shouted up to Caitlyn, who was sat on one of the unused, broken pipes of the generator.

"Yes, but I can't do any more without you." She replied, wiping droplets of sweat from her forehead.

"Where's the test subject" she added.

Craig climbed up a ladder that was resting on a now-fixed side of the generator, and sat beside Caitlyn.

"She decided to stay on the catwalk." He replied to her, slightly disappointed.

There was a long, silent pause.

"So, we're done here?" Craig asked Caitlyn, breaking the silence.

"Yes. Unless you want to fix the inside." Caitlyn said back to him, yawning afterwards.

Neither of them had realised how long it had been since they'd started working, but they were certain it was now past midnight. They were both sure that the generator was fit for purpose one more, and that their boss should know about it.

Caitlyn went back to her own room, whilst Craig headed up to the staff room where some of the others were sat talking.

Ch. 4: Mixing Poisons

By this time, the only people in the staff room were Wheatley, who was half-unaware of what was happening, because a straitjacket wearing child was talking into his ear; Caroline, who was sat at one of the desks – writing up results from the day's regular testing, and Rick, who was glaring at Craig as he walked into the room, but turned around as soon as Caroline began to talk to him.

"Good evening, Craig." Caroline welcomed him, dryly, as she looked up from her papers.

"I'm not staying, Miss Caroline. I wanted to tell you that the Generator is fixed." Craig said to her, overly innocent.

"Is that all?" Caroline replied, unimpressed and slightly annoyed.

"Y-Yes." He answered, shakily.

"Then leave." Caroline growled at him, before glaring into his eyes.

Craig hurried out before Caroline had a chance to scream at him for disturbing her. Breathing heavily as he slammed the door shut.

He was glad that 'growling at him' was the only thing she did.

His breathing settled as he slowly walked away, and became silent, reassuring laughing, becoming louder and more chaotic with each step he took. His eyes began to glow softly in the dark corridor.

There was a sliding noise as one of the laboratory doors opened into a cluttered, specimen- filled room.

Caitlyn, her bright blonde hair tied into a ponytail, and now wearing a lab coat, splattered in blood and various chemicals, was pouring a sickly green liquid into a test tube filled with a pink, flesh-like substance. The liquid quickly ate away at the substance, leaving a hole through it.

She wrote down her observations, before adding the liquid to another, paler liquid. One of the carbon monoxide detectors in the laboratory room went off, much to Caitlyn's dismay that someone had been alerted to her actions.

"Good evening, sir." She said hurriedly to Craig as he changed his usual, metal-spiked jacket for a laboratory jacket, similar to Caitlyn's. But tinted a scarlet red hue, and covered in dried blood.

He shifted his fringe from over one of his eyes, revealing a patch of burnt skin in the process.

Caitlyn switched off the detector, and moved the liquid into a it's own separate vial. Noting that it released a monoxide, and that it was dangerous.

"You seem to have everything controlled here," Craig said to her, deep in thought, "But what will you use it for?" He asked her, slightly confused by her experiment.

"It's the acid that you requested me to make. It works too well!" Caitlyn laughed happily afterwards, sounding too excited about her revelation.

"...And what about the _other_ project.?" Craig asked her, his voice becoming darker in tone.

Caitlyn walked towards a large, padlocked metal locker, and pulled a dull and rusted key from her pocket.

"You mean-"

Caitlyn flung open the doors of the locker, and smiled to herself, out of pride and achievement.

"-This?"

Stood in front of her, inside the locker, was a vial of royal blue liquid, alongside a metal syringe and other, miscellaneous test tubes and bottles. All full of a spectrum of different coloured substances.

"I almost feel like crying." Craig said, reminiscing about a piece of his past days working at the laboratory.

"It reminds me," He continued, "of a trial I was... asked to do. It involved a lot of needles.

"What was it?" Caitlyn asked, fascinated by his words.

"I'll... tell you some other day. Besides, it's not important." Craig uttered. It was quieter than how he usually spoke.

Caitlyn picked up the vial and syringe from the locker, putting some of the liquid into the syringe.

"The woman who did that to me. She seems familiar somehow." Craig said, trailing off into his own chain of thought.

Caitlyn stabbed the needle into the back of Craig's neck, injecting the liquid into his bloodstream.

Craig silently screamed as the needle was pulled out from his neck.

"I'm finished with what I had to do.. I'll let you get back to your other work." He said, his back writhing violently.

"Of course. Sir." Caitlyn replied, closing the locker and returning to her work.


	4. The Past (Part 1)

-The Past: Destruction of Kindness (Part 1) -

A pile of books stood on a burgundy coloured wooden desk. Hidden within were notes and letters. Folders and files.

On the very top was a red-stained, thick, paper file.

The name on the top of it was blurred, but several papers were sticking out from the open side:

* * *

Aperture Science, August 1955

Dear Diary... It has been my first working day here. The other staff have been so kind to me, and have helped me around the facility. Which helped, as my job automatically requires me to know every square inch of this facility. My job? Helping the CEO's assistant. She goes by the name of Caroline.

Although I get the feeling that she gets annoyed at being called out every minute; she smiles all the time. Even through gritted teeth.

Actually, I get a small inclination that she's not all she seems to be. She's the one who gave me the contract to work here. It had small print, I remember what part of it said:

"The signing of this contract immediatley gives the highest authority the ability to inlist you for anything they wish. Breaking this rule in the contract will justify eradication from your present job."

Did you see that? 'Eradication'. If you break the contract, you won't just get fired, you'll get killed.

I don't know by who, but after I refused to sign the contract, Caroline smiled at me and asked me to be her 'helper'.

I know that she doesn't like the main lab group, and I agree: There's too many people in that one small room.

It's been one interesting day.

~Nathan. (I'm not writing my real name in this book. Even if it is kept in a locked desk drawer.)

* * *

Aperture Science, December 1955.

Dear Family,

I apologise for not being able to visit you, my work has been keeping me from getting time to myself, let alone book time off to see you.

I hope you're all doing fine. The end of the year has made certain people in my section very, _very_ jumpy and excited. I do not know when I'll return home, just make sure you show this to my younger sister.

(If you're reading this letter right now... hello Caitlyn :] )

I hope that you enjoy the rest of your year, and please tell me how you have all been.

Love from Craig

ps: When I get back, I'll make sure to bring something for each of you.

* * *

Aperture Science, March 1956

Transcript #103

Recording #103

Term 3

Laboratory Conference Room 1

12:30 PM

Person 1: "Look, Richard, I know you want to be part of the Field Studies section, however...

Person 2 (Richard): *Audible slamming, table* You only have two people working there. I can help them. I can be part of their team. I can-

Person 1: You signed the contract Richard. It states that you are not permitted to leave. Do you understand? If you wish to leave, however, then _something_ can certainly be arranged for you

 **Pause**

Person 2 (Richard): I understand, but why?

Person 1: Because... Wait, what are you doing. Richard, what are you-

Person 2 (Richard): This is for everyone who has died at your sick and twisted hands.

*Audible gunshot*

 **Pause**

Person 2 (Richard): I. Will not be kept here by the likes. Of. **You.**

-Recording End-

* * *

"Caroline? Caroline, come here." A low, male voice shouted at his assistant, who was writing down a list of new employees.

"Sir, I'm rather busy at the-" Caroline shouted back to him, but was cut off by her boss's response.

"Caroline. Now."

"Yes, sir."

Caroline almost threw her pen down on the table. She was tired, and her eyes had black rings underneath. It was clear she had little sleep in the past few days.

"When I don't have to do everything for you. That'll be the day. Maybe the day you die. If I live that long myself" Caroline said quietly to herself. Smiling at the thought of being free of her job.

Caroline entered her boss's office, forcing a smile.

"Caroline, you know how we've been planning a new experiment recently?" Her boss asked.

"Yes, I do. Why does this concern me, sir?" Caroline replied.

"Because I want you to choose it." Her boss said, sternly.

Caroline looked at her boss's desk. It had four different experement plans on top of it. She thought for a moment.

'Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System – Putting a human's inteligence onto a compact disc?'

Caroline picked it up – "This one."

"Caroline."

"Yes, sir?"

"We think alike. I was hoping you'd pick that one."

Caroline scowled, her boss not noticing. She said goodbye, then left without hesitation.

She quickly returned to her work, ticking off names of employees who were present. The same as always, since no-one was allowed to leave without disastarous consequences.

"I wonder what'll happen if someone tries to leave." Caroline asked herself. Her thought was interrupted by one of the employees.

"E-Excuse me, Miss... Caroline, was it? I was wondering if there had been any letters or parcels delivered to the facility recently." A young-looking employee asked Caroline.

"Nathan. A 23 year old robotics expert. My assistant. He's hiding something. I found his diary and it looks interesting." She remembered to herself.

"Yes, there was something for you. It's already in your mail slot. It looks like something sharp." Caroline said to him, smiling as always.

"May I... Tell you something Caroline?" Nathan asked, rubbing the side of his shoulder nervously.

"Of course. What is it?"

"You know that I've been lying to you the entire time, right?" Nathan said, looking at the floor.

"Really, is that it? I was expecting it to be something much worse." Caroline thought to herself, and ended up saying out loud.

"You don't mind?" Nathan said, surprised

Caroline said nothing, but held her index finger to her lips, and smiled at him.

"I have a job for you, if you get back here fast enough." She said to him before it was forgotten.

Nathan nodded, quickly took his package and left. Caroline started to look through the pile of papers.

The pile was comprised of many folders, and a book. A book that was not hers. Letters that had never been sent, reports that had... mysteriously disappeared and plans for experiments that would never see the light of day. Until now.

"Oh, I can't wait to tell him about this. Your time will come my dear scientist. You are not immune to your own creations. Yet."

Caroline said this to herself, darkly, as she turned on a monitor next to her, and searched through a list of names.

She found the one she had been looking for:

Name: Craig Blaise.

Code: 1293_3476/As

Role: Internal Scientist – Chemistry Laboratory #02

Status: Alive

Availability: Available

Tag: Active – Location: Staff Bedroom #15

Caroline printed off this information, placing it into her pocket before turning the monitor off.

She left to find _him_. He was her next project. All three of them were. But for now, _he_ was her main subject of interest.

Nathan came running into the room, hoping that Caroline was still there.

"Ah, Nathan. Just the person I was looking for. You want a job to do?"

Nathan smiled: "Yes."

"Good. Do you know this person?" Caroline asked him, and handed the paper with Craig's details on it.

"Yes, I do. He shares a room with me." Nathan responded.

"Bring him to me. I'll be in the furthest biology lab. The one on the right. You should know where it is." Caroline ordered him.

"And - don't tell him that I sent for him." She added.

"Yes, of course." Nathan said, quickly.

"Good. Now go. I need him as soon as possible. He's my test subject now."

Nathan hurried away.

"I've waited too long to call someone a 'Test Subject' of my own" Caroline said, picking up a medium sized box

"And that name will **not** be taken in vain."


	5. The Past (Part 2)

-The Past: Destruction of Kindness (Part 2) -

"...So, what do you need me to do for you? It's Nathan, right?"

Nathan nodded.

"Just follow me. Have you ever been into the far side of the labs, Craig? He asked.

"No. Not particularly. Why, is that where we're going?"

"Yes."

Eventually, Nathan and Craig reached the furthest laboratory room, where Caroline was waiting. It was low lit, and Caroline was stood, looking at a metal tray on the far side of the room.

"Oh, you're both here earlier than I expected. Nathan, you don't have to stay." She said, turning to look at them, preparing a glass syringe.

Nathan, not wanting to be any part of it, left. Leaving only Caroline and Craig in the room.

"Craig. You know why I brought you here, don't you?" Caroline asked him.

"Yes. But I will **not** go through with it. It's insane and inhuman, just to name a couple of problems with the process." He responded, looking disappointed with himself. It was his project that Caroline was talking about. And he knew exactly what was going to happen.

"Craig. Listen to me. You will not die. You will not be harmed. It is a small injection into your arm. That is all." Caroline said, spacing out the words, so Craig wouldn't start worrying. But he was.

"You don't understand. There is no way that you can merge human and arachnid DNA. It's scientifically impossible."

"I know. But, maybe today, we can make it possible. Craig, please. For the progress of science."

"Caroline, you can't tell me that my project, that involves millions of tiny pins being inserted into someone's back, then that area being torn out, to put in a piece of robotics that might not even work, will not cause me harm." Craig said, almost shouting.

"I can make you."

Minutes after this, Craig blacked out, and awoke to find himself strapped down to a metallic operation table.

Breathing heavily.

"Caroline."

"Yes?"

"How many needles do you have?" Craig said, his voice croaking.

"At the most, about twenty five, at the least. Why?"

"So, I'm essentially a human pin cushion. Correct?"

Caroline was silent. Knowing that the answer was clearly "Yes". She smiled at him. At least he wasn't trying to get free from his binding.

One by one, Caroline injected him with tiny needles, each full of a fraction of spider DNA.

He screamed in unbearable agony as his genetic code twisted and mutated.

"Caroline please stop… You're-"

Craig was stopped himself by a loud cracking as he was trying to free himself from the table.

Blood was starting to fall from his mouth, he felt like he was dying.

Craig's mouth felt like it was being heated up - no it was burning.

"What did you-" He began, before beginning a coughing fit. He had water in his mouth, it was burning through his lip, slowly.

Some of it spilled from his mouth, quickly eating through spots on his clothing. He looked as if he was in unbearable pain.

A drop fell onto his palm. He touched the palm to his face, burning a patch under his right eye.

"Didn't I say you wouldn't be harmed? By me, of course. There was nothing in my words about a reaction to the process. " Caroline said. Her words pierced through the air.

Craig was trying to comprehend what was happening. His mouth was being eaten away by a result of the experiment, Caroline didn't seem to care, and he was dying to scream out in pain through all of this.

Caroline moved a metal container over to his side. Craig leant over, the water pouring from his mouth. Scalding the sides of the container, but not able to break through it.

Except now, the liquid was becoming blood.

The volume was thinning out, until it became small droplets hanging from his lip. Clinging onto him and burning him.

"You need to go back to sleep. It'll help with the pain." Caroline whispered to Craig, before he fell unconscious once again.

* * *

Craig's blurred vision, once he awoke, showed only grey metal. He was laid on his stomach, and felt something digging into his back. He was still wearing his normal shirt, which meant she had cut the area out of the shirt itself, before beginning on him.

He opened his mouth. It was burnt and patches of skin were falling off.

"You had to wake up now, didn't you?" Caroline said to him, frustrated. Her voice came from behind him, and he assumed that _she_ was the one doing all of this.

There was a fleshy noise, as Craig felt sections of his back being removed. He gave a loud screech of pain. He felt like his back was being hollowed out.

"Stop. Please…"

Caroline ignored him. And placed a metal plate into the hole where she had gouged out a large piece of his body.

She repeated this three more times, before Craig realised which part of the project she was enacting.

"Caroline. No. You can't be."

"I can be. I have my ways."

Caroline fitted another piece of metal onto the base plates. They each had two curled up mechanical parts on them. She had to fuse the plates together using intense heat.

Craig screamed in pain again.

Fire…

Heat...

Mechanics…

Pain.

All of this, just to finish a project that shouldn't have existed.

Craig was screaming as he was turned into an inhuman monster by science. The thing he'd helped to forward was now chained to him for eternity.

The pain stopped. The restraints were released. And all hell was about to break free.

* * *

"Caroline!" Craig shouted as she fled. His voice was growling and animalistic. He slid from the table, standing upright, with pure, relentless rage burning in his eyes.

He felt movement on his back, as the plates uncurled into eight individual spider-like limbs.

Craig finally realised: This wasn't a curse. But a blessing. He could finally see what his project would have done to the person unfortunate enough to be chosen for this death wish.

Craig stood in the room, and looked around. Caroline had left the syringes, bottles and equipment she had been using on him.

He felt liquid on his lip. It was the acidic water; it no longer harmed him.

Craig scraped the liquid from his lip into a container. He added another liquid, to see exactly how dangerous it was.

The acid turned blood red.

Craig smiled. This colour change meant that it was strongly, harmfully acidic. If he wanted to, he could kill someone with his saliva alone. If the idea wasn't disgusting to him.

Taking one of the needles, he found and injected dark green dye into his blood.

Then, he began to write on a piece of paper, noting what had happened to him.

He would make sure that she never forgot this day.

* * *

Caroline was now back into her office. Where she should have been all along. Her boss had no idea what was happening, but she had gotten back in time to hear her name being called.

"Caroline, I want you to do something for me." Her boss called out. His office was behind her desk. Yet, he still shouted her name.

"What is it?" Caroline asked back, sounding nervous. She knew what Craig would do to her if she was found.

"I need you to go down to the biology laboratories to get me something."

"I can't."

"Why, Caroline?"

Caroline paused

"Because you should go down there yourself. They'd be happy to see you." She said, lying to stop herself from being forced into _his_ hands.

"Why don't I go down there instead?" Another voice joined in with the conversation.

Nathan, seemingly able to find time to change his immediate appearance, had been standing behind Caroline, knowing what she had done.

"Who are you?" Caroline's boss asked him, confused.

"Oh, I'm her… assistant. If she gets busy with work, I mean." Nathan responded.

He explained what had happened, and was told to go down to the laboratory and return quickly.

The biology labs seemed emptier than usual. People were hiding.

"You." Nathan heard from around him. The voice came from nowhere, and everywhere at once. He was startled into silence.

"You've been lying to everyone. You aren't like this. You're lost in a different personality. Don't you want to be free of it all?"

"I do."

"Then be who you really are."

Nathan's eyes became wider as he felt a freezing wind blow down the back of his neck.

He did as he was asked, and returned from his errand in a respectable time.

Nathan walked into the room where Caroline was sat, working at her desk as always.

"I'm… going to give this to you. And leave." Nathan said to Caroline, leaving before she could register that he had been there.

* * *

Nathan heard the same voice again:

"You are living a lie. Become who you want to be, and don't let anyone tell you to change."

"Become the person that _she_ fears."

"Become _her_ nightmare."

"Be **him**."

Nathan, who was now in his room, alone found clothes laid out on his bed. New, yet not his. A new badge, with a different name. **His** name.

A blue shirt, dark grey jeans with a lab coat the very same colour, red-rimmed glasses and a staff badge that needed a picture.

Nathan decided to change into these clothes. He wasn't going to let some _woman_ tell him who to be.

Afterwards, he took the parcel he had received from under his bed, unwrapping it for the first time.

It was a small knife, with a cobalt-blue handle. Shining under the light.

He could see his reflection. Finally.

He saw himself.

The badge, without a picture, was left on his bed:

Name: Wheatley [REDACTED]

Job: Robotics Lab - Head of Department

Employee Code: 0001_0217/Xe

Status: Alive


	6. The Past (Part 3)

-The Past: Destruction of Kindness (Part 3) -

Silence-shattering laughter howled through the facility. _He_ had finally returned to claim his rightful place.

Looking into a mirror, Wheatley - able to call himself by his actual name - smiled, baring his sharpened teeth.

 _She_ no longer held him down, and he wouldn't let her forget.

Ever.

* * *

It was almost midnight, the facility always took on a more frightening appearance at this time, as no-one was working, but the machines still moved.

"Leave it to the boss to give me the only night shift." Richard, or - as he liked to be called - Rick, moaned as he went in and out of rooms, checking that no one was in places that they shouldn't be.

This trait of 'being in places you shouldn't be' was prevalent in the new staff members. They were full of curiosity, which usually lead to injuries, or in recent cases - death. These were just shrugged off by the people working there as 'unfortunate accidents'.

"Y'know, I wouldn't actually mind trying out some of these experiments. It'd be better than what I'm doing now." Rick mused to himself, before finding that the next door he was supposed to check, was locked.

"It **had** to be the creep's room, didn't it?" Rick said, before unlocking it with his own set of keys, given to him to lock each of the rooms he had previously checked.

When he opened the door, he was greeted by a room that was too clean, except for two vials of liquid that were stood on a strangely bloodstained table.

"What happened in here?" Rick said quietly under his breath as he stepped further into the room.

The door slammed shut behind him, removing the visible light and leaving a blinding darkness.

Rick could no longer see what was in the room, but could hear a metallic scuttling, that was echoing around him.

He had no chance to speak before falling unconscious.

* * *

When he awoke, he was laid on the table, and was binded in bloodstained rope. The lights of the room had been turned on as well.

"This seems familiar, doesn't it?" called a voice from the other end of the room.

Rick thought to himself, and realised just who was talking to him.

"C-Craig? What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be asleep by now?" He asked, slightly shaken.

"I _can't_ sleep. Not after the things that _she_ did to me." He replied, his voice near to a whisper, as he moved closer to Rick.

Craig now stood over him with a crazed smile and widened eyes, holding the two vials in between his fingers. They both had needles attached to them.

"Besides," he continued, "You wanted to try out some of the experiments, didn't you?" Rick looked at him, in shock.

"Do you know what these do?" Craig asked him, with quiet hysteria.

Rick tried to shake his head, but was stopped by a brace that was holding his neck down.

"I assume the answer is no, and that you want me to explain." Craig said.

Rick stayed silent.

"This-" Craig began, "This is what I'm going to put into you. Thousands of sharp needles will pierce your flesh. You'll begin to feel numb as it courses through your blood. Next, it will fill your lungs with a toxin so powerful, it'll kill you before you realise your pain."

Craig smiled afterwards, unnervingly.

Then he stabbed Rick with the needles.

* * *

Screaming, Rick was forced to endure a sickening mixture of chemicals flooding around his bloodstream.

"No one can hear you. They _are_ asleep after all." Craig said, ignoring the screaming as he found another area to place his needles.

Rick was trying to fight back, however the pure poison created by the liquids caused him pain that overruled his other senses.

"You can stop now." Craig yelled over Rick's screaming, seemingly annoyed.

Rick exhaled, to catch his breath and saw a faded green colour in front of his face. He was silently confused.

"So, you didn't die. 'Shame. Oh, and what you saw was a… side effect of this experiment. You can breath poison now. Or rather, you can _exhale_ poison. I have not yet discovered how to fix it. Don't ask me about it." Craig explained in one breath.

Rick, while this explanation was being told to him, had broken the braces and locks holding him down, and was sitting on the edge of the table. He was glaring in frustration and anger in the direction of the door.

Craig was leaning on the door frame with folded arms. His clothing was dotted with scarlet blood, shining under the lights.

He pushed the door open, to show that it was no longer night. They had spent the entire night in the room.

In actuality, people could hear his screaming, but they don't ask questions. It was safer that way, after all.

Rick, out of the corner of his eye, saw a blur where Craig was stood. He turned back around to find that he was alone.

His eyes flashed with an intense and fervid rage.

"I will find you."

* * *

Assessment Date: Unknown

Transcript - Observation:

Person 1: "He almost killed her"

Person 2: "What?"

Person 1: "The subject - he almost killed the actress."

Person 2: "You tested this on **him**."

*pause*

Person 2: "Why did you do that?"

Person 1: "He wanted to participate himself."

Person 2: "Well, get her out of the room! It's clearly unsafe"

*Female screaming*

Person 1: (silence)

Person 2: He actually...

*Pause*

Person 2: He's insane…

Person 1: Keep him in there. I'll go and get our boss.

-Transcript End-

* * *

It was midday when Caroline was told about this incident, and was brought in to see her boss. He asked her if she knew anything about the experiment.

"I know who did this, Sir. But I don't feel like you need to fire them just because they did something wrong."

"Caroline, the woman was killed."

"It was part of the test. How were the scientists supposed to know this would happen?"

Their conversation paused, as Caroline's boss tried to find the words.

"Caroline."

"I'm not arguing with you, Sir. However, I think that our research would benefit from keeping him here a while longer."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"Trust me, Sir, I do."

Caroline was then asked to leave, as her boss tried to comprehend what was happening. She was stood at her desk, with the three male employees in front of her.

"I hope that this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship…"


	7. Space's Story

Space's Story: A Corrupted Spirit

Chapter 1: The Experiment

It was present day. The facility was quiet as it's staff worked tirelessly on projects that had been ordered from them.

Sat in the bloodstained staff room was a child, dressed in a broken straitjacket. They looked too young to be there - not that anyone questioned it.

Questioning people could make you suffer.

* * *

" _So, the child's in that room?"_

" _Yes, but they fought back."_

" _How?"_

" _The child bit me. They drew blood, and… I swear I saw them smile at me afterwards."_

" _They're just a child. It's their reaction to you."_

" _I know."_

" _The room's locked now. The child can't get out."_

" _Now we wait."_

* * *

The child, sat cross legged on the floor, was drawing on various pieces of paper. They were detailed, and labeled with descriptions.

"This is the person who took me to that room. She was nice to me." One of the labels said.

* * *

" _Oh, hello there. Are you here with your parents?"_

" _No. They are still working."_

" _Do you want to help me with something then?"_

" _Yes. Maybe my parents will see me help."_

" _Yes… they might…"_

* * *

The child began to talk to themselves. Their eyes were starting to water with tears.

"Why did she leave me there? Where did she go?"

They began to scream out in pain, as they were reminded of their first time in the facility.

"Come back! Please don't leave me here! I don't want to stay here anymore - Make it go away!"

They had broken out in a sweat, and tears were streaming down both sides of their face. They were rocking backwards and forwards, frightened.

* * *

" _The child's staring at me."_

" _What?"_

" _They won't stop."_

" _Then stop staring back!"_

" _They're creeping me out."_

 _There was a screeching, similar to nails being scraped down a blackboard._

" _The child wants to get out."_

" _Then let them."_

" _No. You heard what she said."_

* * *

An hour had passed, and after hearing of a disturbance in the staff room, two of the higher staff members had gone to find out what had happened.

"Why did you leave them on their own?" A male voice shouted from outside.

The child looked up from their drawings and recognised the voice as belonging to Wheatley, who they had spent most of the day with, and who they had been following around. He was clearly annoyed:

"Don't you remember what happens if we leave them on their own in a room?"

* * *

" _The child - They're unlocking the door from the inside."_

" _That's not possible."_

" _How are they doing that?"_

" _This child's insane!"_

" _We need to tell her...Tell her about this."_

* * *

"They were fine when I left." A different male voice said, trying to explain themselves. The child also recognised this voice as belonging to Rick. The child decided that they didn't like Rick. He was too much like the scientists that the child knew once.

The first voice began to speak, but cut himself off. The door was pushed open, hesitantly

As the pair entered the room, they saw all of the drawings, littering the floor. They were stood in shock, not at the drawings, but what was laid on top of them

The child was shaking, looking up - like they were in trouble. Their hands and canine teeth had blood on them.

* * *

" _Oh my god… Get off of me. No… Please!"_

" _Someone help me!"_

 _A child's voice sounded:_

" _No one is coming to help you. No one helped me. So why should you be different?"_

* * *

"I - I didn't mean to…" The child said, their voice whimpering. They were distraught at what they had done.

"I'm impressed." Wheatley said, trying to calm the child down with praise.

"I wonder what _she'll_ have to say about this." Rick said

"I have no idea what _she'll_ say." Wheatley replied, sighing.

"I thought that was the case." Rick said in agreement.

"We need to move this, then. Unless you're somehow still in the routine of killing people for food." he added, looking down at the object on top of the papers.

"I am, but I don't feel like now is the best time to do something like that." Wheatley said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Rick nodded, and picked up the object from the floor.

Meanwhile, Wheatley was sat down next to the child.

"You have impressive power for a child. I might even consider teaching you things later on in your life, if you keep doing things like this." he said, encouraging the child's murderous behaviour.

Chapter 2: Isolation

The child had once been watched over by a pair of scientists, who were their parents. However after an incident which, was said to have taken their lives, the higher staff had adopted them, out of whatever kindness was left in their hearts.

* * *

" _Where did your friends go, mister? Don't they want to help you?"_

" _What_ _ **are**_ _you?"_

" _I'm the result of your experiment. And you are the result of mine."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _This-!"_

 _There was a loud grinding noise. The sound of crushed bones and blood covered up the sound of loud,_ _ **loud**_ _screaming._

" _Why do you do this to yourselves?"_

 _The child was found sat outside a room, starving and pale - except for faded blood patches on their face and arms._

 _No one knew their name. So called them by the pattern on a torn wristband they were wearing._

" _So, 'Space'. What were you doing outside of that room?"_

 _The child refused to speak._

" _Tell me."_

" _No."_

" _Child. Tell me what you were doing._ _ **Now.**_ _"_

" _I don't talk to adults."_

" _Why not?"_

" _They always want me to do things that hurt me. So I hurt them."_

" _You - you're responsible for the accident with the grinder, aren't you?"_

 _The child slowly nodded their head._

" _Yes. I am."_

 _The adult was in a silence brought on by fear. They slowly walked away, facing the child the entire time._

" _Why are you afraid of me? Did I_ _ **hurt**_ _you?"_

 _The adult stepped back, and tripped on the side of a broken panel. They gave a small scream as they fell._

" _I don't like you because all adults are the same. I don't like adults."_

" _Wait-!"_

 _There was another terrible accident that day._

* * *

No one went near the child after the incidents they caused. Anyone that did feared for their lives.

This became worse as they got older, with the only solution being to shut them in a room on their own. They struggled and fought against this, injuring many of the employees in the process.

"You'll regret this. All of you." The child had said to everyone that had locked them in their room, lashing out at them each time.

* * *

" _Why are you doing this?"_

" _I was left alone."_

" _Your parents-?"_

" _They aren't here. Not anymore."_

" _Why? Why aren't they here?"_

" _Because_ _ **you**_ _killed them."_

" _Leave me alone. Let me suffer in silence." The child would say darkly if anyone looked into their room, glaring with pain in their eyes. They would attempt to kill anyone that approached them without reason._

 _Their room was empty, with padded walls and soundproof glass. No one wanted to look after the child when they first became part of the facility, and their room reflected this in its design._

 _The only reason they were kept alive was that people were frightened of what would happen if they took them out of the facility - they would be dangerous to everyone else._

 _Dangerous to everyone but the ambiguously moraled higher staff._

* * *

Chapter 3: The Lesson

It had reached midday. The facility had dropped into a quietness that made it seem like no one was there, as moving panels and mechanical noises added the layer of eeriness that covered everyone with fear.

Echoed screaming mixed with laughter came down one of the hallways, chilling the air.

Inside the single room that laid at the end was the child and a focused-looking Wheatley. He was wearing his usual outfit, which now included black fingerless gloves - dyed with faded red.

The child and Wheatley were stood across from each other, staring.

Wheatley made a gesture to the child that told them to attack. Challenging them.

The child did so forcefully, latching himself onto Wheatley's left arm; pulling a piece of flesh out of it.

Blood began to stream down Wheatley's arm, he looked at the child in disbelief and smiled; seeming almost impressed at the child's abilities.

"You have power. But you're predictable. I don't expect you to get far with that kind of movement." Wheatley said to the child, sternly, "I'd like to think that I'm helping you, but apparently not. Stay here while I get something." he continued

* * *

" _Stay here while I go and find her. She'll know how to look after you."_

* * *

The child stared intensely at Wheatley and, as soon as his back was turned, dug his nails into it and clawed viciously, tearing through Wheatley's clothes. Blood was spattered along the fabric and layers of skin had been visibly torn off.

Digging his clawed hands deeper into Wheatley's back, the child looked at the shreds of clothing that were now lying on the floor. They were emotionless, and were forcing their nails further.

Wheatley himself was recoiling from the pain, smiling even more so than before as his back was viciously torn into.

"So _that's_ what makes you so chaotic. The simple premise of leaving you alone. No wonder you used to kill people when they found you." He said slyly, as if this was what he had been expecting the entire time. His voice was noticeably deeper than before - dark and malicious.

And then, as his scarlet blood cascaded from his back, Wheatley collapsed onto the floor in a gored heap.

* * *

Laying on the floor, covered with lacerations to his back and left arm, Wheatley had been torn apart by the child, who had left with his blood on their hands. He was struggling to stay conscious as his wounds opened.

"What the _hell_ -" Craig, who had been watching the events unfold through the grating of the ventilation shafts, said - landing on the rapidly increasing pool of crimson liquid.

"I'm fine. Trust me - I don't plan on dying anytime soon." Wheatley replied, laughing with the same maliciousness, before a violent coughing fit that brought up more blood from his chest.

Craig placed one of his fingers in the pool, and used the blood to paint an intricate symbol on the back of his hand. He was watching Wheatley's sickly movement, smiling.

"You seem to be fine. I have no reason to be here. Anymore." Craig said, before climbing into the vent above the room.

"Wait-! I can't believe I'm begging you, but…-"

"I'm not staying here. Die on your own."

* * *

Five hours had passed. Wheatley was verging on unconsciousness, but insane enough to distract himself from his inevitable death.

As his vision finally blurred and faded, he saw the door of the room open, before he was dragged by his wrists out of it.

His body had been scraped on the metal, scarring him more than he had been, and he - for a split second - seemed to enjoy it.

* * *

When Wheatley awoke, he was laid face down on a catwalk, like an animal left to die by the side of a road. He had no one left to talk to. Apart from himself, as was expected from his psychotic episodes.

"They all hate me now. The _child_ hates me. I'm nothing to them." He had lost the only thing that kept him sane, and now they would suffer.

"You brought this upon yourself. Traitor" A voice called, from above him. Even though he had never heard it before, he guessed who it belonged to.

Wheatley managed to pull himself over, to look up at the person speaking to him.

He smiled, and in a twisted, broken voice said:

"Welcome back to hell, sweetheart."

* * *

 **Author Note: Space/ 'The Child' uses them or they pronouns because I wanted to leave it up to the reader to decide what gender they are. Also, Chell's back from the not-dead... Like in Chapter 3.**


	8. The Finale

\- Finale: The Catalyst -

" _Welcome back to hell, sweetheart."_

* * *

The moment those lines were spoken, Wheatley was pulled to his feet by the woman that was standing over him.

"Chell... I haven't seen you in a while. Since I **killed** you, that is.

Chell was silent, staring Wheatley down, and looking straight into his eyes. They were flickering between two different colours.

"Have you come back to kill me?" He said, keeping eye contact while she moved around him.

Chell shook her head, and began to walk past him,

Wheatley seized her wrist as she passed him, his clawed, metal hands piercing her. Like what had been done to him, before this encounter.

"I want to tell you something" Wheatley said, in a deeper voice than before, snarling.

"I have no heart," He continued, "so if you **think** i'm going to let you leave just as easily as you walked in, you're very mistaken. Dear."

Chell felt the grip on her wrist becoming tighter; She was clearly in pain.

* * *

" _Remember when we were friends?"_

* * *

Chell looked distraught as memories raced through her mind, she had been in this situation before - and had only escaped through pure luck.

* * *

" _Remember when I killed you. And you screamed for mercy?"_

* * *

She was struggling to move her arm, trying to loosen the grip held on it. In the same hand, she was still holding the modified Portal Gun that had been given to her.

The three metal prongs that attached to the gun had been moved, pointing forward.

* * *

" _You don't have a chance to survive down here alone."_

* * *

Switching the gun between hands, Chell forcefully pushed the spikes into Wheatley, as her last resort to escape.

Wheatley recoiled, letting Chell's wrist leave his grasp; for the split second he was occupied

* * *

" _You were always difficult to control. Unlike the five people who trusted me before you awoke."_

* * *

Wheatley stared into the darkness ahead of him, the one that Chell had ran into.

His eyes flickering quicker than before, as he realised the trial that laid ahead of him.

"You will never leave. You can't leave. I won't let you." He said, his voice raising to a scream

" **I won't let you!** " his cacophonic screaming echoed.

* * *

Reaching the end of the labyrinthian hallways, Chell came across a broken and mangled catwalk, leading to a dead-end wall. Screeching echoes around her caused her to flinch, before she forgot where she was.

Holding the Portal Gun down to her side in rest, she remembered that the facility shifted at will, moving the structures around her, and now, the catwalk she was on had nothing to save her from falling. Standing on a catwalk that was hanging over a chasm formed by the movement of the facility, she had a way to finally escape.

"Unless you want to shatter your spine when you reach the floor, I'd _advise_ that you _don't_ jump down there" A voice called from behind Chell, one that was all too familiar to her.

"Or, if you _do_ , don't say I didn't warn you." he added, finding this situation darkly humorous.

Chell turned around, only to find that Wheatley had been closely following her. Her expression was one of annoyance, but also of hatred. Untouched hatred.

" You are the cause of all this chaos. **You** are the problem..." Wheatley said, glaring at her.

"...But we don't need to fix that. Chaos brings the best things, you should know that better than anyone here."

Chell returned the gesture, looking intensely at him. She knew that he had changed - and there was nothing that she could do to him. She stood still, watching silently.

Wheatley, walking towards Chell in a stalking manner, lit a match - striking it on the side of his sleeve - and threw it behind him. The outside of his coat burst into blue flames, embers scorching the catwalk around him.

Slowly, he stepped closer to her; his body burning a glaring azure.

Chell had nowhere to step back - the catwalk ended a footstep behind her. She couldn't move forward either - for fear of being tortured by her supposed murderer.

So, she did the only thing she was able to.

She grabbed Wheatley's collar and, with all of her ire and strength, dragged him to the floor. He made a startled choking noise in response as he landed on his back.

Chell looked down at Wheatley, emotionless. Her grey eyes piercing his own.

"This place has finally decided to turn you into a murderer. You're becoming the thing you hate. But don't worry. I'll still be here to guide you through your fate." Wheatley said, his voice becoming softer, if only for the purpose of his message.

Chell continued to stare at him. Judging him every second they made contact. Wheatley was smiling widely at her. He then reached his hand upwards to her, gesturing to be helped from the catwalk.

Chell, for her own safety, obliged and slowly pulled him up, moving herself closer to the door as they switched places.

"I knew you would do what was _good for you_." Wheatley said, smirking.

* * *

" _Why would you want to leave? It's better for you here - no one can hurt you anymore"_

* * *

The fire on the back of Wheatley's coat had burned out, covering him in a dark ash. Smoke rising through the air. He turned around to look at the abyss that laid underneath them, smiling to himself.

"I know this may sound obvious, but wouldn't this be the _perfect_ place to push someone's unconscious body into?" Wheatley said, full of deranged enthusiasm before arching his neck around to look at Chell, "I know, it's great, isn't it?"

Chell looked at him in the same icy glare she had given him earlier.

"Fine. Be like that. You're not going to get out of here _any faster_ with that attitude. Lady." Wheatley replied to her looks, before moving his head back to face the abyss in front of him.

Chell grasped the Portal Gun she held, her hands covered in cracks and blisters from touching the ashes that had settled onto the handrails of the catwalk.

"Still - if you were to kill me right now, i'd be impressed with you. Honoured even. Honoured to watch you become part of this bloodied machine." Wheatley said, speaking with his usual, quickened pattern of speech.

He never turned around, but knew what Chell was doing.

"Oh, and you can stop trying to intimidate me with the Portal Gun you have there. It won't work a second time."

Chell withdrew the Portal Gun slowly, placing it on the floor whilst stepping across the small gaps in the catwalk.

She was near to breaking point, her sanity was slipping and she had nowhere to go from here.

"If _I'm_ going down. You're going down **with me.** " Chell said, breaking her silence at last. She knew that being silent wouldn't have gotten her past this point, despite all she had achieved with it.

"Darling, I've already _lost_ my mind." Wheatley, looking at her with widened eyes.

He was looking at Chell in the same way that he greeted her when they had first met: crazy, but not showing the full reach of his psychotic nature.

Except now, there were cracks in his delicate mask, that showed his true self.

* * *

 _I'm falling. Falling down to where I began this path. It's edged with sharp glass and metal that would draw blood from a stone._

 _ **Wait, no. Please don't let it end like this.**_

 _I need someone to save me from my nightmares, from my own world that I imagined to keep me safe. This kindness is hell. I need blood and murder to make me feel better._

 _ **I don't want you to leave me**_

 _I never asked to be liked by anyone. I just needed someone to help me keep up this kind and caring facade._

 _ **Bring him back**_

 _I'd love to watch you die._

* * *

"Surprise sweetheart. I'm **back**. Try and kill me if you can."

Chell took this as a challenge; running towards him with all of her power, pushing Wheatley into the bottomless abyss.

"I'm so proud of you - _for killing me -_ "

There was a loud cracking noise as his body hit the ground

"Goodbye"

* * *

 **Author Note: Well, this is the end of our dark tale. For now. I'd like to thank everyone who has read this far, and who has had to put up with the long period of time where I didn't update the story.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed it. -Rubyghast**


	9. Unused Chapter (The Past Beta)

The Darkness In Us All

 _05:00 AM, Monday 21st March, 2016._

 _AKA:The Day Of The New Arrival_

The daylight was beginning to shine through the frosted skylights of an unusually clean dormitory room. A loud alarm clock buzzed into life, startling the sleeping inhabitants.

"Why…" A tired, teenage male voice groaned, still half asleep.

"Because. That's why." Retaliated an equally tired, and more annoyed, adult male voice. The voice had a faint French accent to it.

The male voice flicked a switch on the wall of the room.

There was a buzzing of electricity in the air, strong enough to feel it. The two still partly asleep convulsed in some kind of pain.

"Get up. Now." Shouted the male, who had practically electrocuted the others from across the room, this time, he was fully awake and seemed to be impatient.

The teenager, named Leon Hydrae, moaned, and wrapped himself in his bed covers.

He was then promptly shoved off of his bed by Craig Blaise, who had just yelled at him to get up.

"Are you gonna get up now?" Craig said, sitting on Leon's bed, smiling down at him. Clearly, he had only pushed Leon from his bed for his own amusement.

"Yeah. I guess I have to." Leon said, yawning.

"Good."

* * *

Leon unravelled himself from the blankets and eventually pushed himself off the floor.

"And now…" Craig directed his attention to the third member of the room: Richard 'Rick' Caillié.

"I heard you."

"Are you scared that I'm going to push you off of your bed too?" Craig mockingly said.

"You aren't strong enough to do that." Rick replied, sure of himself.

"I know, but at least I tried." Craig laughed.

"But seriously, get up. Or Miss Caroline will most likely yell at us if we're late." He added

* * *

Rick, Craig and Leon -after preparing for work- left to their individual jobs.

Rick was mainly asked to complete field work. Which many others considered lucky. In reality, he had to perform the experiments that had been planned by others. Personally, in Rick's own words, it was a 'living hell in it's own way'.

Craig had the job of writing all of the experiments up, the method, results and everything in between. The job was chaotic at the best of times.

Leon had one of the easier jobs, in the terms of everyone else, he was a researcher. The job was usually given to the youngest staff member, therefore often changing each year.

* * *

"Today, employees, you have a new member in your ranks. If you wish to see him, his room is on the second floor of the dormitory block. Room 3B."

Caroline, the current boss of Aperture, instructed to her underlings.

Craig decided to skip an hour of his work time to visit the new arrival.

* * *

"Hello. Is anyone there? I'm here to welcome you… or something like that."

"Yeah, hello. I'll be with you in a second." Said a nervous and flustered British man, who had been requested to visit the facility.

Craig rolled his eyes, but stood in the leaning on the doorframe.

* * *

"I'm Wheatley. Wheatley Pendleton. Nice to meet you."

"I'd say the same, but new staff don't usually get an easy ride. We don't make friends here either. Just allies and enemies."

"Sounds great… "

"And that's not even the worst part."

Craig paused

"Good luck newbie."

 _19:00 Monday 21st March, 2016_

 _AKA:The Night Of Guilt Tripping_

It was now pitch black outside, and most of the employees had returned to their own rooms.

* * *

"Did you meet the new guy? " Rick asked Craig, with a lack of enthusiasm.

"You mean the klutzy British guy? Yeah, I met him."

"Did he talk to you at all? Anything that could give him a reason to be here?"

"No. Nothing at all. Which is strange, to say the least."

* * *

The conversation was interrupted by Caroline, who had requested to talk to Craig. Alone.

"Craig. You know why I'm here, don't you?" Caroline asked him.

"Yes. But I will **not** go through with it. It's insane and inhuman, just to name a couple of problems with the process."

"Craig. Listen to me. You will not die. You will not be harmed. It is a small injection into your arm. That is all." Caroline said, spacing out the words, so Craig wouldn't start worrying.

"You don't understand. There is no way that you can merge human and arachnid DNA. It's scientifically impossible."

"I know. But, maybe today, we can make it possible. Craig, please. For the progress of science."

Craig was close to tears, Caroline knew that she was guilt tripping him into proceeding with the experiment. It wasn't morally correct, It wasn't kind, but she had no choice.

* * *

"Uh, hey, guys. I'm not going to be here long, but Caroline told me that I'm the subject of her new experiment. It involves…"

Craig said the details under his breath.

"It involves what? Spit it out." Rick slightly shouted to him.

"I-It involves injecting me with countless needless until my genetics can be fused with those of a spider. It isn't going to be pretty. "

"And Caroline is _letting_ you do this?"

"No. She's making me do it.'For the progress of science'. Or something like that."

* * *

Craig was clearly upset and annoyed with Caroline. But she was his boss, and he _always_ had to do what she said… "Right?"

7:00 Tuesday 22nd March, 2016

AKA:The Day Of The Experiment

Craig was strapped down to a metallic operation table. Breathing heavily.

"Caroline."

"Yes?"

"How many needles do you have?"

"At the most, about twenty five. Why?"

"So, I'm essentially a human pin cushion. Correct?"

Caroline was silent. Knowing that the answer was clearly "Yes".

* * *

One by one, Craig was injected with tiny needles, each full of a fraction of spider DNA.

He screamed in unbearable agony as his genetic code twisted and mutated.

"Caroline please stop… You're-"

* * *

Craig was stopped himself by a loud cracking as he was trying to free himself from the table.

Blood was starting to fall from his mouth, he felt like he was dying.

Dying…

Dying to…

Dying to taste human flesh.

 _8:00 Tuesday 22nd March, 2016_

 _AKA:The Hour Of Realisation_

"Caroline… " Craig said, his voice pitched lower than before.

"Yes Craig? What is…"

Caroline felt breathing on the back of her neck.

"...It"

"So, Miss Caroline. Are you surprised at the result of your 'precious little experiment?'

Craig slurred the end of the sentence, laughing deeply.

"Craig… Are you feeling okay?" Caroline stuttered, feeling scared.

"My dear, dear Caroline. You have no idea how _much more… stronger I feel._ "

Caroline was choking on her own words.

"You've created a monster. A monster out of your own nightmares. And now…"

Craig laughed.

"Now, you have to **live** with it."

* * *

Caroline sighed, and leant onto the metal table.

"It appears that my subject does not _like_ their new appearance."

The blood that had been dripping from his mouth hadn't stopped. But it had become acidic.

The acid was starting to eat through his jaw. His words were beginning to slur even more.

"Caaaaroliiiiine…"

"Caaaaaaaroliiiiiiine"

Craig looked at her, acidic blood falling from his mouth, eating away at his flesh.

* * *

"You mean that you wanted this to happen?"

Craig paused to exhale. It was reminiscent of a growl.

"I was right. I'm not the monster here… you are."

There was a long silence.

* * *

Caroline turned to face the nearest wall, and smiled.

"You signed up for this, Craig. As soon as you joined this company, **you** gave us the permission to perform tests on you. No matter how much you scream."

There was no response to her sadistic words.

Caroline looked behind her, turning slowly around.

* * *

Craig was sat in a crouched position on the table he had been strapped to. His jaw was hanging from the rest of his mouth. There was no sign of pain on his face. The acid had dripped onto his constraints, and burned through them.

Craig stared at Caroline. Looking through her.

Craig started to break the last joints of his bloodied and mangled jaw, making a sickening crunching noise as he did so.

And then, he surged at his tormentor.

 _8:45 Tuesday 22nd March, 2016_

 _AKA: The Morning of Torture_

Rick and Leon were sat on their beds, looking at each other.

"H-Hey, Leon. Do you know when _he_ 'll be back?" Rick asked him, his voice full of concern

"No. But, I'm sure he's fine. He must be. He has to be." Leon repeated to himself, quietly.

There was a light knocking on the door of their room.

"Who?" Leon asked, surprised.

* * *

The person let themselves in.

"Craig, you're back. you're okay." Rick said with a sigh of relief.

"Uh, Craig?"

There was no response.

"Craig?"

Rick waved a hand in front of Craig's face. The lack of jaw was covered by a scarf that Craig usually wore.

"Craig, are you gonna talk to me?"

There was a illegible mumbling from behind the scarf. And then the scarf was torn off.

"Oh god. Craig. What happened to you?"

There was a motion on Craig's face that looked vaguely like smiling.

"What did she…" Leon spoke up, seeming frightened. He paused when he saw the fractured face of someone that he cared for.

Both of them could see him silently starting to cry.

* * *

"So this is where you ran to." The voice of Caroline said, as she was standing in the doorway.

"What the hell did you do to him?" Rick shouted to Caroline, through gritted teeth.

"He, as well as the two of you, gave me permission to perform… personal… tests on all of you. Starting **tomorrow**." Caroline said, smiling.

As she walked away, Caroline had a fit of cackling laughter.

"And I'll be seeing the other two of you in the testing room in about… two hours. I hope." She added, looking slightly excited, before disappearing into the shadows of the hallway

 _8:50 Tuesday 22nd March, 2016_

 _AKA: The Time of the Second Experiment:_

Rick had decided to follow Caroline, to know what horror she had planned for Leon and himself.

"She used to be so… kind. What happened to her?" Rick said to himself.

* * *

He watched Caroline swiftly walk into a lab room, full of vials and chemicals that he had never seen before.

"Mercury, Arsenic, Phosphine, Azoimide. What the _hell_ is Azoimide?"

"It's a liquid. Toxic, boils around body temperature…" Caroline interrupted his thought.

"Are you really going this far?"

"It's Science. I'm just doing what I'm told to."

"If you're going to do something to me. Just… Do it to me now."

Rick sat down on a chair in the room,with a serious look on his now sweat covered face.

* * *

"Oh, I'm not going to hurt your friend, by the way. Just you. He was going to be able to watch, but you're already here." Caroline said, both confirming and denying any of Rick's suspicions.

"I thought as much. Well, go ahead and stab me… or whatever you were going to do."

Caroline brought over the four bottles of chemicals, and one slender needle - attached to a small glass tube.

"I _really_ hate to do this to you."

"You don't."

"Choose one of them. The bottles, I mean. If I'm going to hurt you, It might as well be with whatever chemical you choose."

"The one with the _weird name_."

"Okay. Sit _completely still_."

A loud screaming filled the room, and -

So did a plume of toxic fumes.


End file.
